Girl at the Rock Shows

I met with a kid trying to get his foot in the music industry on Tuesday afternoon. I told him a bit about how I got into everything and what I do. By the time I explained it all, he looked at me straight-faced and asked how I wasn’t burnt out. I just sat there, trying to find the words that never came. The truth is, I am burnt out. I’m perpetually exhausted, and there’s never enough time in the day to get everything done that I want to get done. The fact that I had no answer to this question really irked me, and it was on my mind after this meeting and the whole time leading up to my show on Tuesday night. Maybe I was burnt out, and this “project” has turned into more of a job than a passion. I was worried and stressed as I walked into The Turf Club, but as soon as Mary Jam kicked into their opening set, I realized I wasn’t burnt out. Sure, I was tired and wasn’t in the mood to fight with the crowd that grew to packed as the night went on, but I still felt a sense of fire and passion as I watched the three bands on the bill for Tuesday night.

I’ve been seeing Mary Jam a lot lately. That’s not a complaint at all because this local trio is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Their surf-rock-inspired garage-punk sound was on point on Tuesday night. They may have only had a short time on stage, but it was more than enough for this band to give the quickly growing audience a perfect taste of how catchy this band can be. Since I’ve covered this band a lot lately, I promise not to spend my entire time in this article praising Mary Jam, but, at the same time, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the energy of this band. They bring a special spark to the stage that is hard to put into words. Not only do they seem to form this instant connection with every audience they play in front of, but the three members of this band showcase a connection between each other that truly dazzles under the spotlights. Outside of a few moments where the members were clearly lost in their own instruments, it was nothing but smiles and giant laughs being shared on stage. It’s charming, to say the least, and one of the many things that reminded me that, no, this is not a job; doing this night after night is still my passion, and that’s because of seeing the passion that these three musicians shared on stage on Tuesday night.

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it a million times more: Smoking Popes is one of those bands that never got the recognition they deserved, but they never let that stop them. How lucky am I that Tuesday night was my second time seeing this legendary pop-punk band since the beginning of this year? This is a rhetorical question, but honestly, what an honor. Their set felt very close to the feeling I got from them back in January when they opened for The Get Up Kids but there was an extra spice added in. Maybe it was due to the intimacy of the venue, or perhaps it was just because this show (and subsequent tour) is a celebration of their 1994 album, ‘Born To Quit’ where they played through the album in its entirety and then followed it up with a few other tracks. Either way, there was just something a bit more punchy about their set on Tuesday night when compared to earlier this year.

When it comes to Smoking Popes’ performance, there’s something very down-to-basics about it. Outside of a few jumps from some of the members, there’s really nothing to speak of as far as quirky and exciting things to watch during their set. That said, there’s no shortage of fire or passion when you see this band. They may have been their thing for decades by now (they got their start in 1991), but something about seeing them feels like seeing a green band that is just excited and honored to be on stage in front of people who are excited to see them perform. I’ve already seen Smoking Popes twice this year, but I truly hope that I get more chances throughout the rest of 2025.

Smoking Popes are sharing co-headlining duties on this tour with Off With Their Heads. Although I swear I’ve seen this band a couple of times before, this seems to be the first time I’m actually reviewing them. Formed right here in Minneapolis back in 2002, OWTH has a bit of a cult following. Their line-up is constantly changing, but Tuesday night showcased the return of some original members. Honestly, I didn’t care who was on stage with vocalist/mainstay Ryan Young; I only cared about hearing their sounds and letting their dark and super relatable words sink into my soul.

Much like Smoking Popes were celebrating ‘Born To Quit’, OWTH were celebrating their 2010 album ‘In Desolation’. Luckily for me, this is one of my favorite albums from this band, and I was stoked to hear it from front to back, so I was a bit surprised when that’s not how the set started. Before playing ‘In Desolation’ in its entirety, the band played through a smattering of singles like “Go On Git Now” and “Keep Falling Down.” I honestly forgot that this show was going to be an album playthrough because I got so wrapped up in hearing some of the many bangers from this band. At the end of the night, I still don’t think I realized that they had played the album from front to back. I was just so lost in OWTH’s world and enamored by hearing Ryan’s gritty voice match with the punk instrumentation that, at times, feels brash and abrasive in all the right ways. OWTH is one of those bands that has “a sound” and, although often imitated, nobody can do it quite like Ryan and his rotating cast of musicians.

Am I burnt out? Quite possibly. As you can see from the photos, after dipping downstairs for a quick drink after Mary Jam’s set, I didn’t fight to get to the front of the audience to get close-up photos of Smoking Popes or Off With Their Heads. That being said, I was enamored by every note that soaked into my soul. Burnt out? Maybe, but I am still in shock and in love with the idea that this is my life, night after night.

Line Up:

Mary Jam

Smoking Popes

Off With Their Heads

Venue: Turf Club

Smell-O-Meter: French Fries

Average Age of the Crowd: 39

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 3 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- 0

Broken Bones- None Noticed

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None Witnessed

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – 0

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

Mary Jam – 4

Smoking Popes – 4

Off With Their Heads – 2?

Celebrity Sightings – Members of (but not limited to): Motion City Soundtrack, Toilet Rats, Christy Costello

Overall Score – 8 out of 10

Show on Deck — Paleface Swiss / Stick To Your Guns / Nasty

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